Celebration

The University of Washington has a longstanding commitment to diversity and a profound interest in cultivating a diverse student body. The Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) and the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) are pleased to present Celebration, Fête, and Honors, an annual event that features the outstanding achievements, inspiring stories and academic success of EOP students. Celebration also raises funds for scholarships and recognizes the Charles E. Odegaard Award recipient. Over 500 business and community patrons support this event each year.

Save the Date for May 7, 2015
45th Annual Celebration, Fête and Honors

Registration information will be available in March.

The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodations for this event, contact the Disability Services Office at least ten days in advance at: 206-543-6450 (voice); 206-543-6452 (TTY); 206-685-7264 (FAX); dso@uw.edu (email).

EOP Student Scholarships and Awards

EOP awards are presented to students who have made impressive contributions to our campus and community, while achieving academic excellence.

Past Celebration Scholarship Recipients

Charles E. Odegaard Award

The Charles E. Odegaard Award was established in April of 1973 to honor a member of our community whose leadership sustains the former University of Washington President’s distinguished work (1958-1973) on behalf of diversity at the UW and citizens of the state. It is the only University and community selected award and is regarded as the highest achievement in diversity at the University.

The Odegaard “Unity” Award is a teak sculpture by the late Seattle artist, George Tsutakawa (1910-1997). Mr. Tsutakawa is an internationally recognized painter and sculptor known for more than 75 major bronze fountain sculptures set in public spaces in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. “Unity” and the “Unity” plaque, are permanently housed and displayed in the Office of the Vice President and Vice Provost for Minority Affairs and Diversity to publicly honor all of the outstanding recipients of this prestigious award.

2015 Odegaard Award Recipient

Colleen Fukui-Sketchley, diversity affairs director for Nordstrom, is the 2015 Charles E. Odegaard Award recipient. Through her leadership in the private sector and volunteer efforts both on campus and in the community, Fukui-Sketchley has spent two decades advocating for diversity in the workforce and access to higher education. She has been employed by Nordstrom since graduating from the UW in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication. For 16 years, Fukui-Sketchley served as Nordstrom’s corporate diversity affairs specialist until being promoted to her current role in 2012. A second-generation Husky, her deep commitment to giving back has been inspired by her family’s longtime efforts to the same. For over 12 years, she was on the Friends of the EOP Board of Trustees, including stints as its president and vice president. She was also a member of the UW Alumni Association Board of Trustees, serving as president in 2010-2011 and helping launch UW Impact, UWAA’s legislative advocacy committee. The youngest woman to receive the Odegaard Award, Fukui-Sketchley is active in national organizations supporting Asian Pacific American women and people with disabilities. She is currently serving a four-year term as an appointed member of the Governor’s Taskforce for Disability Employment aimed to increase the employment of people with disabilities in the state of Washington.